a night in with girlfriends

Spending time in the outdoors is a reminder for us to focus on what’s important and shut off the phones for a little while. It’s a chance to spend one on one time with family & friends in a beautiful setting to experience life while enjoying delicious food and wine. I find cooking in the outdoors very inspiring and love to create new recipes!

This is exactly what we did when we went to Waterton Lakes National Park recently with a couple of friends and their families. It’s been 6-7 years since we last visited Waterton and we were very excited to share the experience together. These are a couple of friends I hang out with regularly during our Moms Who Needs Wine Evening Gatherings. There’s usually a dozen of us at any given time and we either get together at someone’s house, partake in wine tastings or visit a restaurant while getting caught up on each others busy lives. Our trip to Waterton included hiking, camping, fishing, good food & company, lots of fresh air and was exactly what we all needed. Plus it was the perfect setting to try a new wine, Invivo Wines Pinot Noir.

Originating in New Zealand, Invivo Wines was founded in 2007 by old school friends that liked New Zealand Wine so much they started a winery to make some. Now if that isn’t a story after my own heart, and one my friends and I have discussed many times! After the trails and tribulations of running a business, Invivo is proud to announce they are available in 17 countries worldwide and have one of Alberta’s fastest growing Sauvignon Blanc brands. The Pinot Noir is an easy drinking wine and one you don’t have to feel intimidated to try.

The Pinot Noir boasts aromas of cherries, black plum, blackberries and spicy herbal notes. A long finish and bright tannins round out this wine giving it a beautiful taste. We enjoyed our first sip with dinner, then the kids went off to play leaving us to sit around the fire and enjoy the rest of the bottle. We even discovered it pairs well with chocolate as we sampled an Epiphanie chocolate, and a dark chocolate with sea salt and spice.

Last year we discovered a wine called Bella by Invivo, a Sauvignon Blanc that left a lasting memory. I reached out to Invivo on Instagram about where to find it in Calgary and they responded right away with a few options. I haven’t looked for it in 2016, but sure hope the Bella is still available! So far my track record with Invivo wines has been fabulous.

As it’s a sweeter and fruity Pinot Noir we opted to pair it with marinated pork tenderloin for dinner. It would pair nicely with duck, salmon, tuna or chicken.

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About Me

Food and lifestyle blogger since 2006. A wahm who writes about events, wine, family adventures, recipes and eating out in Calgary, Alberta and beyond.

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Join me on my adventures both in and out of the kitchen! We travel in search of new experiences, go on adventures both near and far and cook in the kitchen creating new recipes, re-create recipes from previous generations, and seek out crazy food combinations yet sticking true to comfort food and simple recipes.